I have said this before, but if Nintendo were to make a console that had Steam access that would be a very good value for both companies and consumers. Steam gets a quality well known company to get their software in front of the TV and Nintendo gets instant 3rd party support. And they have very little cross over in games, mostly indie games. Win for Nintendo, Win for Steam, And Win for Consumers. Value.

I always wonder how companies like Nintendo can still be learning how to launch a console. They knew how to do it in 1985 and they are still the same company. How much more is there to learn? It is called marketing and advertising and putting out a product that people want.
BTW I love my Wii U. It is played the most in my house by a wide margin.

Kind of felt like I was watching a minecraft version of Sonic Adventure from the Dreamcast. Just put a few rings in there and Sega has a new Sonic game.
If Lego Worlds hits the Wii U, people will forget about wanting Minecraft clones. (as long as it is good, and I am sure it will be).

@belmont
I think it makes sense for both companies. Nintendo gets 3rd parties with little to no work and SteamOS gets more and easy home access via a well known and respected name brand console. Each can excel at what they do best. Seems like a win, win, win.
I think they should be on the same console, but different. There should be a "Nintendo side" and a "SteamOS side". I don't want to see Steam become Nintendo or Nintendo become Steam. But to have Steam as an option if I buy a Nintendo would add tremendous value to a Nintendo system.
SteamOS is based on Debian not Ubuntu. Ubuntu is also based on Debian, so they both have a similar upstream point. But SteamOS is not a derivative of Ubuntu, like lets say Linux Mint is.
PS. I would buy any new console if it had the Sega logo on it.

@RennanNT
I happen to think that adding SteamOS as an option would be great for Nintendo. This generation I am going to dump Sony and I am going to build a SteamOS box. But if Nintendo bundled SteamOS in with their next system, then I can save the money. Anyway, SteamOS is built on Debian Linux, with the smart people they have employed, Nintendo/Valve would have little trouble getting Linux to run on a Power PC. Anyway, Nintendo would lose nothing with this current market. Having Steam on the same machine would take all the pressure off of Nintendo with 3rd parties thus allow them to focus on what they do best, make great consoles and Nintendo games (and eliminate the major grip people have with Nintendo at the moment). Currently there are so few games that actually cross between the two companies, except maybe indies and Sonic Racing Transformed, that I am sure sales will not be an issue. People would buy the new Nintendo for the same reason they buy it now, to play Nintendo games, but they would get the added value/benefit of loading all their Steam games from day one. Sounds like a great value to me.

@DarthNocturnal
I think you might be on to something. I have always read NX as N "cross" something unknown. Similar in wording as with Street Fighter X Tekken. Crossing Steam with Nintendo would fill in many gaps that Nintendo currently has and I see it as a win win win for Nintendo, Valve and the consumer. The two companies don't cross paths much besides a few indie games. Steam would win because they get a brand name console with SteamOS on it and Nintendo can continue to focus on what makes Nintendo great, making Nintendo game. They can leave all the 3rd party stuff to Valve. And the consumer gets access to all their Steam games plus Nintendo. that sounds like a win to me! So I agree, Nintendo X SteamOS. At least I can dream.

I give the guy credit for trying something and when it did not work, being honest with everyone and revising his plan. Even though he could work on communicating better with the gaming population, it takes a good amount of humbleness to admit that something did not work and then take a "perceived" step backwards. Then refocusing to try to make the best product he can on the Wii U.
I will consider buying the game.

I still see Mario Kart Wii and Super Smash Bros Brawl and plenty of other Wii games on store shelves, so I guess, why not. The only strange thing about this release is the sport of Squash is not as high profile as other sports, so there is probably not a massive install base just waiting to pick up their yearly copy. Anyway, there's always backwards compatibility on the Wii U.

When I saw this for the first time I thought I was transported back to 1992 and I was watching one of those FMV games from the Sega CD. I hope they can do it better. There were only a small handful of those games that were actually fun and none of those were music games. Most were total garbage. However, I did enjoy my time with Sewer Shark. But I did not have fun with Make My Video: Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch or any of the other "Make My Video" games.

Watching the video makes me think I'm playing a 2D game that allows you to roam in a 3D world, all the while keeping the 2D side scrolling perspective and/or feel. Strange, but growing up with mostly 2D, it seems familiar. It looks like they fluidly combined both 2D and 3D very well. Kind of like 2D with depth.

I agree, looking back, the Sega CD seems like the beginning of the end for Sega. But I think Sega could have "recovered" from the Sega CD (however at that point in history there was nothing to really recover from as of yet). But many bad decisions after the Sega CD were far worse for Sega historically.
I still own it and some of my most favorite games are from this system. Anything from Working Design was enough for me to justify the cost (yet I don't remember paying that much for the system, maybe $199 plus a rebate from Sega), the Lunar series and Vay to name a few. Sonic CD is a great game and playing NHL 94, Power Monger, Eternal Champions and Mortal Kombat with much better sound was great. I still look back at the Sega CD as some of my most fond memories in my gaming history.
The one thing that Sega should have done to really make the system stand out would have been to add more colors. If I remember correctly, it was still the same as the MD/Genesis. That would have done the trick.
Nonetheless, it is still one of my favorites and it is still hooked up today to enjoy with my kids.

If I did not get it as part of PS+, I would have bought it on Wii U. If Wii U gets the the enhanced port of the original or the 3rd I will buy it for sure. It is one of only a few good co-op multi-player online games.

@sonicmeerkat
That was the very first game I thought of too. I had a lot of fun with RC Pro-Am. Too bad this game seems to miss the mark. How hard can it be? Rare nailed it back in 1987, you would think they could at least copy that and have an awesome game.
Maybe I will try it when it goes on sale.

Sad, This reminded me of a game from the NES called R.C. Pro-AM. I was hoping this would be similar. I had so much fun playing that game. It is sad to read that this game is a let down.
Nintendo needs to raise their 3rd party eShop standard.

It is amazing how negative this game and Wind Waker were viewed when they came out originally. And then Nintendo releases them years later and both games are being showered with praise. It is almost like Nintendo new the future and took the hard comments at the time only to know they would sell well in the future.

This was one of my favorite games when I was a kid. It was hard, but fun. A few months ago I was playing it and my 6 year old kid was watching me and to my surprise he wanted to play. He had a lot of fun and he thinks the animation when you pass the level is hilarious. He really likes the level editor too. Fast forward to a few days ago to when he saw this on VC (I figured that he would have totally forgotten about this game) and he has not stopped asking me to buy it. He normally enjoys older games, but to be honest, I was kind of surprised that he had so much fun playing this game. I don't think he would be a good representation for all kids though. He does enjoys playing older games, almost as much as newer ones.

I always have a hard time watching these two. They don't seem to flow well together. Mostly it is the guy. He is not very nice to her. He is always putting her down. I think he enjoys pointing out her faults. After going back and watching some older videos of them playing SM3D World, he is just mean to her. I am really surprised Nintendo keeps this duo going. Its just my opinion but Nintendo should keep the lady and find a replacement for the guy.

@Ralek85 You bring up all good points.But to be honest, I really don't know what Nintendo should do next. They need to bring something new to the table that will be the future. VR?I like their dedication to making quality games. I don't think anyone in the industry can match them in depth and quality. Think about what Nintendo does, they make a console and they make quality games. I know Sony and MS make a few games, but nothing like what Nintendo does. And 3rd parties only make games, but no consoles. So Nintendo plays both sides of the coin. Where the others can mainly focus on one aspect hardware or software. So Nintendo is unique in that way. But I do wish Nintendo would include a little more with their systems. For example, I don't watch many movies, so it would be nice not to need another device when I rent a Bluray. And I like they support local multi-player games, but why not incorporate more online into their multi-player games too. I am not sure that Nintendo has fallen quite as far as Nokia, but they have most definitely been on a roller coaster ride since the mid 80's. But Nintendo has never really gone away. Because even when they did not have the best selling system, they always made excellent games. But on the other hand, Nokia would be gone if it was not for Microsoft.Nintendo likes to take risks, but they always seems to be calculated risks. However, they seem to know when to pull the plug if something is not working, i.e. Virtual Boy.I think the Wii U has so many advantages. But what makes it unique, I think, may hold it back. But you also have to wonder how much is politics behind the scenes that the public does not see?

@Ralek85 What I meant by the touch screen craze was there was a time, not too long ago, when all phones had some kind of buttons. Be it a slide out dial pad or a QWERTY keyboard or some kind of input method other than basically only a touch screen. But I really think the Xperia was a great looking phone and I would have loved to have one. But I believe the Xperia was released when the market was shifting to only touch screens. So it was doomed from the start because of bad timing and Sony not telling people why they needed it. At that same time Smartphone users wanted Angry bird type games not precision platformers. But I could see people wanting the control that a controller can give them. I always read about people complaining about bad controls in phone games. But I really liked my slide out keyboard on my phones.
I think you may have misunderstood what I said, I would prefer function over appeal any day. Give me an ugly phone that works very well for what I want it to do, than an attractive sleek phone that is garbage. Heck, I still use my GBA because I like how it feels in my hands. I just wish it had a backlit screen. The SP was much to square and the DS is too square too.
I am not saying that I think that Nintendo should make a phone, I am just saying I would buy one if they did. Two completely different things.
I don't know if they could realistically compete unless they brought something totally new to the table, but like I said before, in 1999 no one would have predicted Apple Computer bringing Nokia to its knees either. Nokia was the undisputed King of mobile phones and Apple made computers that were in schools. The phone market is a very fast moving market. Tastes change quickly. So who really knows where we will be in 5 or 10 years. Thanks for your response!
But I really like that I don't have to turn my entire entertainment system on just to turn on my Wii U. The GamePad is great for that.

@Ralek85 I completely understand your points. But call it blind faith or me thinking that there might be a market for a really good dedicated "phone/video game" device. But I think if anyone could do it, Nintendo could. Nokia failed with the N-Gage, I guess Sony failed, but there is a reason that Nintendo is still around after many, many other companies have fallen to the wayside. Nintendo knows how to make money even on a less than successful product. And they know how to capitalize on saving cash when they have a winner. I am not really sure why the Xperia was such a failure, I would have loved to have one, but I never used a service that the phone was on. But I have to believe it had to be marketing and timing. I think, at least in the US, it was only sold through AT&T and around that time the whole market was moving away from slide-out QWERTY keyboards as a general rule. I believe the whole touch screen craze was in and any slide-out device was doomed. But I think time has passed and many people see the value of a dedicated "controller" if they want real control over games.You might be right, but one thing is true, Nintendo would need to appeal to more than just people who play games. But I would bet if they market it right and maybe sell more than one version, it would sell.

@Ralek85 I bet most people in 1999 would have said that toppling Nokia from the mobile phone market would have taken a Herculean effort, but now most people will say Nokia who? @SkywardLink98 I have gained more faith in Nintendo's attention to battery life especially after they released the Wii U's Pro Controller.

I would buy a NEP, Nintendo Entertainment Phone, or a NED, Nintendo Entertainment Device. But I hope Nintendo is thinking beyond what this article is saying. Nintendo needs to think about what the world will want in 5 or 10 years from now. That is what Apple did with its iPod. People buy "phones" for far more than making calls these days. I would guess that for many people, their "phone" is called a phone in name only.
However, whatever company does it right again, I want to be invested in them.

I was going to pass on this game because I was confused by the videos they posted. I did not understand what the game was about and they did a really bad job tell me why I should get it.
But after reading this review I think I will buy it.

@SaGa_K Pier Solar was made as a cartridge for the Genesis/MD. It had optional use of the Sega CD for audio only. It is a very cool trick, you play the game with the cartridge and then if you choose you can switch to the CD for better audio. However, main game is still played on the cart.
If you want to read the history of the game, it started as a Sega CD game, but changed to a cartridge game in later development. But Watermelon kept the CD for optional Audio.
And of course it is a RPG, even the developers call it that. http://www.magicalgamefactory.com/en/factory/pier-solar_1/

My kids are worn out with Skylanders after Swap Force. I am not sure if my kids are interested as much as they use to be. Swap Force was played so very little. Giants was played the most.
Although this is getting good reviews and they brought back a Skystones game, Swap Force may have taken the wind out of Skylanders for my family and friends. Maybe we will get it on discount, we all know it will be discounted.

By all accounts, this is a true modern retro game (recently made for a retro system first and then converted to a modern system). If you are a fan of 80's and 90's JRPG's you will feel right at home. If the Lunar series on the Sega CD, Chrono Trigger, or the Phantasy Star series are some of your favorite memories or you think those types of games would be fun, then Pier Solar will feel right at home. @SahashraLA and @8bitforever said it well above. This reviewer summed it up right in his conclusion (maybe he should have had two scores, a modern and retro), viewing this game through a 2014 lens maybe it does not have all the "modern" spin on everything, viewing it through a 90's JRPG lens, it hits all the right notes.
It is funny, because what the reviewer points to as negatives, I see as positives and are what I look for in JRPG's!
Playing it on the Genesis/MD with the CD attachment for sound is a real treat. Seeing your old system do things you never thought it could is amazing. But not everyone has a working Sega, so this is a great opportunity and for only $15, it is a deal.
I still say this game will not get the credit it is due. If Watermelon would have released it 2 years ago, this game would have been showered with praise. But today with all the "retro" type throwback games, it may get lost. I hope not.

Swap force was enough for me to stop buying these types of games for my kids. I was given the opportunity to get the Disney Infinity 2.0 as a gift for my kids b-day, but I told them to return it and get Hyrule Warriors instead.
My kids are having a blast with that.

Wow, I lived through that time and after how many years I never knew that it was suppose to be a pun. And even after I knew it was a pun I had to read it over and over again, it took me a long time to get it. It's a bad pun. It's bad because Tales is not really known for speed.
I thought they gave him a nickname, similar to Dr Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik . To this day I don't understand why they choose to call him "Eggman". Dr Robotnik is such a better name! Tales is the better name for sure.

I would argue that the American version of SMB 2, even though it was kind of an odd entry compared to the original and SM3, might be just as, if not more influential on modern day SMB games. SMB 2 introduced how the main characters play, ie Luigi high jump, Mario neutral, Peach floating, Toad the way he is, in modern games play. It just seems like modern Mario games, such as SMB 3d World, have pulled a lot of material from SMB 2. Especially considering how many people would consider SMB 2 not as important in the hierarchy of the series. So many characters and player mechanics would not exist if not for SMB 2. And even the new Toad Treasure tracker games is very much influenced by SMB 2.

@sdelfin I think Watermelon is a honest company. I think they only have a few people. So I think you are right. I bet they will get that out when get the HD version done. I am sure it is a huge amount of work.

I wish they would have released this game about 2 years ago. I fear that a lot of what they did back in 2010 has already been played out over the last 4 years or so. I think this game would have been more desirable about 2 years ago, but now it may end up as just another retro game lost in the masses.
But you never know.

@retro_player_22 Sorry to hear that you have not got your copy yet. Have they not done a reprint or was there an error with your order? I was lucky enough to get my order with the 1st round of reprints. The attention to detail with everything that came with the game is staggering. To be honest, it's on par or better than what you would expect to get from a game during Sega's heyday. I assume you like JRPG's from that time, so you will feel right at home with Pier Solar. Also, you will see your genesis/mega drive do things that you never thought possible. And if you have the CD attachment, find a copy of the CD Audio and then you get CD quality sound while you play your cartridge. It is a cool trick. I would love to have the directors cut to see what they updated. I really want the Dreamcast version, but I am not sure I want to spend another $50. $15 seems more reasonable, but a new game for the Dreamcast would be very cool.

"We don't want your money. What we do want, is your heart".
Are you sure this isn't a Castlevania clone?
I would rather give you my money.
But I am sure I will get it if it looks half way good. But who knows if it will be enough to loosen the grip Minecraft has on my kids and their friends.

Capcom, Konami and a few others use to be my absolute favorite game makers. They put out a wide range of solid games year after year ( I am thinking of LifeForce, Contra, Jackal, Rush 'n Attack, Bionic Commando, Cannon Spike, Duck Tails, Street Fighter, Legendary Wings just to name a few). But now it appears like they are heading in the Activision direction. How many non movies game, annualized, or established series games has Activision made in the last 10 years, very few. Now we get the same game year after year. I guess the gaming community is partly to blame because they keep buying those games. But the other half of blame must come from the business management and not managing money and resources very well. Not even Mega Man? They use to put that game out all the time. Even my 6 year old likes Mega Man games.

They talk about their struggle and how satisfying it is to figuring out a problem on their own. That is a skill that is almost never taught these days. With the internet we find answers quickly and easily. But because of the lack of easy information for programming the SNES they are left to figure out solutions on their own. That kind of problem solving, for the most part, is a lost skill, that builds character that cannot be built any other way. Learning happens in the struggle. They will be better programmers and will have a better game because if it. If they can pull it off even half as good as Watermelon did with and Pier Solar. The game will be awesome!

Whether this guy is 100% correct or not, Nintendo has changed how they have historically done things in the past. I rarely buy imports, but Nintendo changed their policy for a reason. And that reason, at least from the perspective of this consumer, is not for the benefit of the end user. I have always been a Nintendo fan right from the NES days, but I have to say Nintendo has been making some very poor decisions over the last couple of years. I still prefer Nintendo over other their competitors but lately (the last few years) I wonder if that loyalty is justified anymore. I never would have bought a Sony product years ago, but their PS+ program over all is very consumer friendly.
The DS was the last hand held I have bought, and the Vita, with all the free games I have built up from the PS+ program, is looking better and better every day.